Story
The Qingyu Sect was a regional sect.
Although its ancestors had once flourished, producing masters who had achieved Refining Void into Reality and cultivated True Ki, by now, its prestige had greatly waned.
There were barely a hundred members in the sect.
Aside from a sect master who had reached the Marrow Cleansing realm, and five elders at the Internal Viscera Refinement level, the rest were simply disciples skilled in Tendon Transformation, Bone Forging, or at best, body Refining.
Its scale was not even comparable to some larger martial halls.
Even so, for Li Hanbing to become a disciple of the Qingyu Sect, she remained a prodigy of the Li family in Qinghe County, regarded as a promising junior. When she ventured into the martial world, dressed elegantly and rode spirited horses, she sat at the elders' table during annual ancestral rites, becoming an example for countless younger siblings.
Yet in reality, Li Hanbing, who was hailed as a prodigy by the Li family of Qinghe County, was merely an average figure within the Qingyu Sect.
Just as now, when Senior Brother Duan Jiangliu was chatting and laughing with "Pine Breeze Sword"
Zhang Yunsheng, she could only accompany them at the side, laughing along carefully, wary of inadvertently offending with a stray word.
However, the news exchanged between the two at this moment was so shocking that she could not help but exclaim:
"Senior Brother, Young Hero Zhang, did you just say Li Xian? He? Killed the Iron Sword Sect's master, daoist Xuan Tie!?"
"It's indeed Li Xian. Rumor says he is also one of the Four Luminaries of Lijiang."
Zhang Yunsheng nodded. "But he has now changed his name and goes by the alias Li Xian in public."
"Daoist Xuan Tie..."
Li Hanbing was briefly dazed.
If her memory served her right, daoist Xuan Tie, head of the Iron Sword Sect, was a master at the Marrow Cleansing level, equal to their own sect master!?
Someone who could singlehandedly crush bandit strongholds; a formidable fifth-realm martial artist!?
"How could it be him!?"
In Li Hanbing's mind, her cousin Li Xian, who studied under Instructor Zhou and earned the title of one of the Four Luminaries of Lijiang, was far more accomplished than herself—he was the true rising star of the Li family in Qinghe.
Unfortunately, that was ruined.
His reputation shattered.
But, thinking back on what he had done...
Clinging to power, shutting out his own kin and friends—it was a fate he brought upon himself.
Yet now...
"Many people remain skeptical that Daoist Xuan Tie died at Li Xian's hands. After all, in that noon battle, Lijiang's Zhou Juechen grasped the essence of Primordial Unity, advanced to Leakless, and became a first-tier martial arts elite. The deaths of Daoist Xuan Tie and Ma Fu, both Marrow Cleansing experts, at his hands seemed more logical. However... Li Xian's furious slaying yesterday of the Duke of Yue's Residence inner organ master Yan Lian and the Cao family's Liu Feng was witnessed by countless,"
Zhang Yunsheng said, his brows tinged with admiration. "Even if he's not at the Marrow Cleansing level, he must already possess equivalent power!"
"Yesterday, Li Xian killed the Duke of Yue's top Viscera Refinement master Yan Lian and the Cao family's Liu Feng?"
Li Hanbing found this utterly inconceivable.
Was this really her cousin as she remembered him?
Wasn't he a frail scholar who looked down on martial artists?
At that moment, another junior sister of the Qingyu Sect, present to accompany them, suddenly recalled something and said excitedly, "Senior Sister Li, I remember you know this Li Xian... Li Xian! You even spoke just yesterday, didn't you?!"
At these words, both Zhang Yunsheng and Duan Jiangliu turned their eyes to Li Hanbing, filled with surprise.
"You know him?"
"Junior Sister Li actually has ties with such a figure?"
"I..."
Li Hanbing, with complex feelings, replied, "The Li Xian I knew was a student at Songfeng Academy... I didn't know when he switched from pursuing literature to martial arts, so I was never aware of this."
"That's it! This hero Li is indeed one of the Four Luminaries of Lijiang from Songfeng Academy!"
Zhang Yunsheng clapped his hands suddenly. "I've read in ancient texts that the martial path sometimes involves pursing wisdom through reading before embarking on cultivation. Such people won't initially devote time to physical refinement, but instead immerse themselves in study, gaining insight until they achieve unity of knowledge and action, comprehend the essence of Primordial Unity and Leakless. Only then do they diligently strengthen their bodies, refine their viscera, and in one effort cleanse the marrow and attain Leakless mastery."
His expression was stirred, as though witnessing a legend. "Perhaps this Li hero is walking that very path!"
"Enlightenment and self-realization, unity of knowledge and action, comprehending Primordial Leakless?!"
Duan Jiangliu's eyes widened with shock. "He's reached the level of a first-rate master!?"
A first-rate master!
Renowned across the prefecture!
How glorious, how much honor would that bring to his ancestors?
If he could really reach that level, duan was willing to sacrifice thirty years of his life for it!
"Only those with extraordinary perception can hope to tread this path,"
Zhang Yunsheng said. "Next, we'll have to see if Hero Li can attain full-body Leakless within a year or so. If he does, then he'll have walked a legendary road, and given that, his prospects are unlimited. Leaping through the Dragon Gate would be no extravagance!"
"Leaping through the Dragon Gate!?"
Li Hanbing, and everyone present, felt their hearts all trembling.
Leap over the Dragon Gate!
Shed the snake, become the dragon!
Li Xian...
Could it be that he might reach such unrivaled heights in the future!?
"Leap over the Dragon Gate!"
Duan Jiangliu muttered those four characters.
Not just him, but Li Hanbing and the others felt their spirits shaken by those words.
Who among martial artists doesn't know about leaping the Dragon Gate?
Leap over it, and one soars to unimaginable heights!
Power, fame, and riches fade in comparison to the chance to leap through the Dragon Gate!
"Junior Sister Li, if you really know Hero Li, you should seize the opportunity while you're both at the Canglang Sword Sect,"
Zhang Yunsheng said earnestly.
Duan Jiangliu snapped out of his daze and added quickly, "Young Hero Zhang is right. If you're truly acquainted with Hero Li, I'll immediately inform the sect master and ask him to take you as a direct disciple."
"I..."
Hearing their words, Li Hanbing found it all hard to believe.
But...
Li Xian always held a high place in her heart.
When he won the Four Luminaries of Lijiang title, she was filled with envy and admiration.
Now, with Zhang Yunsheng's talk of the wisdom path and the transformation to martial pursuit, it somewhat reconciled her to this incredible news.
Soon, as all encouraged her to visit Li Xian and prove their connection was genuine...
She also had something she wanted to say to him. After a brief hesitation, she nodded.
Not long after, following some inquiries, Li Hanbing came to the courtyard where Zhou Juechen lived, flanked by Zhang Yunsheng and Duan Jiangliu.
...
"Li Hanbing?"
Li Xian turned to Zhou Juechen.
"Yes, a member of your Li family from Qinghe,"
Zhou Juechen replied. "She's probably just heard about your exploits on the mountain and is coming, accompanied by other juniors, to flaunt her connection to you."
Li family.
Li Xian remembered that his predecessor had already severed all ties with the Li family.
He felt no need to resume those relations.
Still, considering the bonds of blood and Li Hanbing's well-intentioned warning outside the Canglang Sword Sect...
It wouldn't hurt, so he said, "Let's meet, then."
"All right, I'll take her to the sitting room,"
Zhou Juechen said with a nod.
Soon, together with Zhou, Li Xian went to the guest hall, where Li Hanbing was already waiting.
When she saw Li Xian, she immediately stood up, her expression...
Somewhat tense.
After all, she'd just been brought in by none other than Lijiang Prefecture's newly recognized "first-rate"
Longquan Hall Master Zhou Juechen!
A martial master whose attainment exceeded even her own sect leader!
When Li Xian joked with such a person as an equal...
The tales of his Marrow Cleansing strength were almost certainly true!
"Is there something you need?"
Li Xian asked directly.
"No... no..."
Li Hanbing stammered a bit.
Li Xian nodded.
So she'd allowed herself to be used by others eager to boast of a connection, and felt compelled to meet him.
He said nothing more, just told her, "Rest here for a while, then see yourself out."
This was natural—no need to blame her.
Yet watching Li Xian about to leave, Li Hanbing was struck by a sense of panic, as if if she let him walk away now, they'd never cross paths again.
In this anxiety, she blurted, "Li Xian... do you still remember Jiang Xiaoyu?"
Jiang Xiaoyu?
These days, he had swept away most of the "original self's" meaningless memories to make space for martial pursuits.
Jiang Xiaoyu, no recollection at all.
"So you really have forgotten her."
Li Hanbing's expression was complicated.
"Is there a problem?"
"Have you never considered that the disgraceful fate that befell you after your immense sacrifices for Liu Yanran might have other causes?" she asked. "Even though you married Liu Yanran, she still dallied with Yan Kaigui... By all rights, one day when Liu Yanran tires of you, you'll be tossed out, maybe even beaten to death over some petty slight."
A live-in son-in-law—what status could he possibly claim?
At most a hair above a servant.
Beaten to death, and that's that.
Li Xian listened to her and gradually pieced together the meaning.
"Who is Jiang Xiaoyu?" he asked.
"..."
Seeing that Li Xian seemed to have so utterly forgotten Jiang Xiaoyu, Li Hanbing was at a loss for words.
Marrow Cleansing?
So what if one cleansed their marrow?
Someone who could coldly cast aside his childhood sweetheart, sever all ties with his family for the sake of his personal advancement—no matter how high he climbed, what did that mean for the Li family?
Just a heartless brute.
Getting too close might not only fail to bring any benefit, but could also drag the Li family into immense trouble.
Just like the recent trouble brought on by the Dingfeng Marquis Residence's guards seeking justice.
She knew she'd regret this contrariness when Li Xian soared to greatness, but still...
"Have you ever thought, as Liu Yanran mistreated you in various ways, did you ever do the same to someone else..."
Seeing Li Xian's detached expression, she stopped.
There was no helping it.
"Forget it," she said. "Thank you for making time to see me even after reaching Marrow Cleansing. Goodbye."
With that, she nodded slightly and turned to go.
Li Xian watched her leave.
He understood there might be old matters or former feelings involved.
But...
That no longer mattered.
He was Li Xian, not Li Xian of old.
His chosen path was certain to be perilous; be it the Li family growing too close to him or vice versa, it would do neither party good. Instead, this distance allowed the Li family to thrive beneath his rising influence.
...
Not long after Li Hanbing left, Zhou Juechen entered.
"She's gone?"
"Yes,"
Li Xian said, then asked, "If you're ready, let's return to Lijiang City and meet that full-body Leakless master from the Duke of Yue's Residence."
"Are you confident?"
Zhou Juechen asked.
But then he smiled, "Never mind, I won't ask. Let's go."
Li Xian nodded.
With that, the two departed, heading back for Lijiang City.